House Hrekimi
“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.” - ''common Hrekimi phrase, attributed to an early leader of the House House Hrekimi are one of the Great Houses of Okarthel known for their shrewd diplomats and large merchant connections throughout the world. History House Hrekimi keeps good records of its current affairs, the Great House keeping account of its sprawling merchant assets across the world, but like many of the Great Houses the history of its founding has become shrouded in myth and legend. Founding Myth Said to have been founded by Hrekimi, whose named means ''master of words, a brass dragonborn monk that dwelt outside of Okarthel, wandering Darazil settling disputes as an impartial voice. The prevailing legend holds that Hrekimi was asked by the twin dragon kings of the city to decide which of them was the rightful ruler, like many such stories the names of the kings changes based on the politics of the speaker. Hrekimi is said to have listen to the cases of both kings, weighing the merit of both and going into the vaults below the city to sit atop the great wealth that sits below and contemplate their decision in isolation. The kings were said to offer Hrekimi many great riches should they agree to grant them the title, sending whispers and agents to tempt them, eventually using their magics their appeared before Hrekimi as his sat atop the wealth of the city. In some versions Hrekimi was said to be sleeping with one king growing impatient and awakening the sleeping dragonborn whereas the other encouraged patience and awaiting the answer they sought, with Hrekimi granting the title to the more patient of the two, though in more recent versions Hrekimi is said to have convinced the two kings that neither of them was worthy of the title and that only together could they rule effectively. Regardless, House Hrekimi is known to have been founded during a time when there were two dragon king rulers of the city. Brokering the Deal House Hrekimi is said to have been the House responsible for negotiating the terms of the Great Council that would form following the death of Ithmitne by House Iragar. House Hrekimi then became a broker for many deals during this time, doing its best to maintain the tentative peace. Neutral Serpents During the reign of the Dragon Princes, House Hrekimi began to focus on extending its diplomatic ranges as it had during the reign of Ithmitne, avoiding any conflict with the other houses. Many Lesser Houses swore fealty to Hrekimi at this time as the peaceful and wealthy House was quite attractive during this time. The other Great Houses were frustrated by Hrekimi's actions as they refused to take a said in the growing civil war, moving their greatest assets out of the city by the time of Kepeski Jot. The Stormlord's Will During the reign of Kepeski, House Hrekimi enjoyed an elevation of station at first, though as the Lord of Okarthel began to recall many dragonborn from their various postings across the world they were unable to be as effective as a Great House. Many members of House Hrekimi went rogue, establishing unofficial embassies in cities across Etan where those seeking to avoid Kepeski could find refuge. One piece of work that was able to be completed was the Pact of Tooth and Claw, considered one of House Hrekimi's greatest achievements of the century, the military pact helped the Dragon Lands survive the chaos of the coming war. Speakers in the Silence During the Silence of the Gods, House Hrekimi had its ability to conduct diplomatic efforts hampered by the situation left behind by Kepeski as they were still unsure of the power they had to make alliances. If not for the efforts of King Sanctus II, it is unlikely that any pact between Etan and Vhir would have taken place. House Hrekimi have since taken on the role of chief ambassadors for Okarthel, sending emissaries to various locations across Vhir and Etan. Structure House Hrekimi is dominated by dragonborn though kobolds make up the majority of its members. Leadership The leader of House Hrekimi, Lord Hrekimi is a very wealthy man as well as a powerful sorcerer able to manifest his will as an arcane force that can compel others to see his side of things. Merchant Fleet Hrekimi has a large merchant fleet though its members seldom captain the vessels, with Lesser Houses loyal to them with maritime expertise given that responsibility. Their fleet has two major groups, those smaller more numerous vessels that ply the Dividing Sea and their larger vessels that often travel with escorts from House Karifmar that carry envoys and diplomats across the world. Speakers Speakers are those members of House Hrekimi empowered to speak for their House as well as Okarthel's interests, representing the diplomatic power of the Dragon Lands. They undergo rigorous training in the customs of other cultures, learning how to interact with all strata of society so they can negotiate with lowly merchants to kings. Holdings Many settlements in Darazil owe Hrekimi their fealty, usually those with connections to other lands such as those on the Spice Road or with connections along the Dividing Sea such as Pabdul Pass. Hrekimi control the area just outside the great docks of Okarthel, known as the foreign quarter, it is where much trading and diplomacy is done.Category:Dragonborn Category:Okarthel Category:Organisations